The author is a Forbes contributor. The opinions expressed are those of the writer.

Loading ...

Loading ...

This story appears in the {{article.article.magazine.pretty_date}} issue of {{article.article.magazine.pubName}}. Subscribe

The real disruption for publishing is not the onslaught of self-published works in the marketplace; the real change is the consumers demand for short, more direct publications. Our attentions spans have shortened and this change is impact authors and publishers alike.

Since 1999, the best selling business books have shrunk by 23% (almost 80 pages) over the last 15 years. (I was rewarded with a long list of Atkins Diet and Oprah-endorsed books in researching the 1999 list). Taking this even further, authors are crafting books that can be read in one sitting, or "one airplane leg" books. These works can still tackle complex topics, but are judicious in their prose. Big ideas can come in small packages.

The model has been not to gloss over many topics - the literary equivalent of Cliffs Notes for Business - but to address one key idea in a direct, straightforward approach. The personality of the author comes through these works, but in a more straightforward style. In the last two years alone, there have been several fresh voices that have caused deviations in the business landscape.

The Chief Product Officer of Forbes Media shares his views on the dramatic changes to the field of journalism and how social media, consumer's needs, and the speed of information are colliding to disrupt the space. Coming in at 64 pages, this book packs a punch for anyone who cares how they will digest information in the coming years.

Rubin and Ross produced an award winning Top 5 Marketing Books of the Year with their RoR publication. As the title states, they successfully argue that businesses have lost their touch with their customers and no longer treat them in a manner that demonstrates their value. There is an excellent opportunity here for organizations to build and scale those relations and create those amazing connections with their customers, but you need to read their 134 pages to find out how.

Shooting to the top 2% of ALL books on Amazon in its first week, Kramer's Human to Human is capturing attention of business leaders with his ideas of making business not just more personable, but more human - with our flaws and imperfections. This is not just saying that we need to infuse some personality in our work, but going beyond that and recognizing that we hinder our forward progress by our unnecessary desires for perfection. Once you shed that belief that we need to be perfect - that our customers expect perfection - you can start becoming the amazing organizations you have dreamed of becoming. (Full disclosure: I am quoted in this publication)

Gary doesn't do anything small and even his 142 pages on how to address the changing business landscape feels bigger than it is. Gary makes his passion about passion . . . well, infectious. You will find that thing that moves you and see your world a great deal differently after being Vaynerchuk'd.

Sales organizations have been reticent to embrace new channels and to use social media. Myerhoff does a phenomenal job of laying the groundwork for why and how sales teams should use these new channels to reach their audiences and address their needs. Jam packed with insights, this little book will be a smart salesperson's bible in years to come as they navigate the ever changing landscape of their customers.

"Shorter attention spans definitely contribute to the disruption continuing in the publishing industry," says Willem Knibbe, former acquisitions editor at Wiley Publishing who is now with lynda.com. "Content creators who recognize this shift and address consumer needs with the right mix of concise yet precise content will be successful over the coming years."

++

Todd has abandoned loquaciousness for exactitude, but still clings to his love of big words. You can follow Todd @toddmwilms and on his LinkedIn profile.